Sail Seychelles.

The Seychelles is granite, not coral atoll — big rounded boulders the colour of old iron, dropping straight into water so clear you can read your anchor at 12m. The Inner Islands sit close together, a day-sail apart at most, which means short hops and long afternoons at anchor. Wind is reliable but rarely rough. You get flat-water sailing between palm-backed beaches, and anchorages that on a good week you'll share with two other boats, not twenty.

What it isn't: a place for hard passage-making or serious distance. The pleasure here is slow. Snorkel a granite point in the morning, sail two hours after lunch, set the hook off a beach you can't reach by road. Right for first charterers, families, and anyone who's done the crowded Med and wants space.

Everything starts from Mahé, the main island and where the fleet is based. From there the cruising ground is the Inner Islands: Praslin, La Digue, Curieuse, Cousin, Ste Anne, Silhouette, North Island. Distances are short — Mahé to Praslin is around 25 nautical miles, and most legs between islands run 5 to 15.

Praslin holds the Vallée de Mai, home to the coco de mer palm, and Anse Lazio round its north-west corner is one of the better-known beaches for good reason. La Digue, a short hop from Praslin, is where you leave the boat and hire a bicycle — no cars to speak of. Curieuse has free-roaming giant tortoises and a marine park. Ste Anne, just off Mahé, is a protected park good for a first-night shakedown. Anchorages are mostly sand over good holding; a few require care around granite heads, which your briefing will flag.

Two monsoons, and the difference matters. The south-east trades run roughly May to September — steady 15 to 25 knots, drier air, clearer water, and the most consistent sailing. Anchorages on the north and west sides of islands sit in the lee and stay comfortable. This is the popular window and the busier one.

The north-west monsoon runs roughly December to March: lighter, more variable wind, warmer, wetter, with occasional squalls and heavier rain. Sailing is gentler and you'll motor more. The shoulder months, April and October-November, are the transitions — often calm, hot, and glassy.

The Seychelles sits outside the cyclone belt, so you don't get the tropical-storm season that shapes Caribbean or Indian Ocean itineraries elsewhere. Water is warm year-round, mid-to-high 20s Celsius. There's no single wrong time; there's the sportier season and the lazier one.

The fleet out of Mahé is broad, and the boats suit the ground. Catamarans dominate here for good reason — shallow draft for close-in anchoring, deck space for families and groups, and stable motion in the lighter months. You'll also find monohulls for those who prefer to sail on their ear.

Bareboat is available if you hold the right sailing qualifications and experience (see FAQ). If you'd rather not skipper, a skippered charter puts a local captain aboard who knows the passes, the holding and the weather — worth it for a first Seychelles trip. Full crewed charters with a cook are available at the larger end. Cabin charters, where you book a single cabin on a shared boat, come and go seasonally; message us on WhatsApp for current options.

Seychelles runs at the higher end of tropical charter pricing — remoteness and provisioning costs feed through. As a guide only, and always Price on request for a firm quote:

• A bareboat catamaran typically ranges from roughly EUR 4,000 to EUR 12,000 per week depending on size, age and season, high season commanding the top of the range. - Skippered adds a captain's fee, commonly in the region of EUR 180 to EUR 250 per day plus their food. - Budget separately for fuel, park fees (the marine parks charge per person per day), an end-of-charter clean, and provisioning. Provisioning is dearer than the Med — much is imported.

We'll give you an honest all-in figure before you commit. Ask on WhatsApp and tell us dates, party size and whether you want a skipper.

Day 1 — Mahé. Board in the afternoon, briefing, provision, and a short sail to Ste Anne marine park for a settled first night.

Day 2 — Mahé to Praslin. The longest leg, around 25nm across open water on the trades. Anchor off the Cote d'Or or in Baie Ste Anne.

Day 3 — Praslin. Ashore for the Vallée de Mai, then round to Anse Lazio for the afternoon and a swim off the boat.

Day 4 — Curieuse and Cousin. Short hop to Curieuse for the tortoises and the marine park; snorkel Cousin's fringing reef nearby.

Day 5 — La Digue. Two hours down to La Digue. Bicycles ashore, and Anse Source d'Argent when the light's right.

Day 6 — back towards Mahé. Break the return with a stop at Silhouette or an anchorage on Mahé's less-visited side.

Day 7 — Mahé. Final anchorage close to base, then an early return the last morning to disembark. Flex the whole plan around the wind — it's a guide, not a timetable.

Fly into Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) on Mahé, well connected via the Gulf hubs, Europe and East Africa. The base is a short transfer from the airport — we'll send exact directions with your confirmation.

Most nationalities get a visitor's permit on arrival rather than a visa; check your own passport's requirements before travelling. The currency is the Seychelles rupee, though cards are widely accepted and larger charter costs are usually settled in EUR. English, French and Creole are all spoken.

Provision on Mahé before you leave — the outer stops have limited shops. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, and note the marine-park fees are collected per person. Everything else — briefings, chart advice, current availability — comes to you when you message us on WhatsApp with your dates.